[J.OT13]

The entire thing was ill thought out. The City should have spent the money on raising the capacity with better frequency (significant double tracking and additional 40 meter trains) instead of longer platforms. As suggested, the City might look at mostly empty trains running to Riverside South and decide to cut service, sort of like they are doing now with Line 1. If we increased service to 8 minutes with short trains, it would be easier to justify having it down to 10 or 12 minutes off peak without alienating riders. With the current set-up, the only "option" will be 15-20 minute service.

We could have reallocated funds to double tracking by removing Bowesville (keeping it as a future infill) and having less double tracking in the south end. It's puzzling why the south end is nearly all double tracked while the busier north end is mostly single track. They should also have prioritized the completion of the north end for the benefit of existing riders, keeping work on the south extension for the end.

 

[lrt's friend]

The entire thing was ill thought out. The City should have spent the money on raising the capacity with better frequency (significant double tracking and additional 40 meter trains) instead of longer platforms. As suggested, the City might look at mostly empty trains running to Riverside South and decide to cut service, sort of like they are doing now with Line 1. If we increased service to 8 minutes with short trains, it would be easier to justify having it down to 10 or 12 minutes off peak without alienating riders. With the current set-up, the only "option" will be 15-20 minute service.

We could have reallocated funds to double tracking by removing Bowesville (keeping it as a future infill) and having less double tracking in the south end. It's puzzling why the south end is nearly all double tracked while the busier north end is mostly single track. They should also have prioritized the completion of the north end for the benefit of existing riders, keeping work on the south extension for the end.

We built a new overpass over the VIA rail line, and we chose to single track it. Every opportunity like this to double track, should have been taken. The less single track there is, the less opportunity for delays and the whole line going off schedule. In the last couple of weeks, I watched a northbound train at a complete stop at Brookfield, waiting for the southbound train to cross that overpass. I shake my head at the poor choices that we have made.

 

[CapitalSeven]

I'm starting to think that the real cheap-out was opting for Automated Train Protection instead of AC Control. The passing tracks are now the right length and placement, but they don't seem to be able to get the drivers to follow the schedule closely enough.

The VIA overpass is modular, and is designed such that a second span can be added next to the first - you can see the extra space and alignment of the southbound track. It wouldn't be necessary if the trains were on time.

 

[J.OT13]

They did the bare minimum to keep the 12 minute frequency. They didn't learn from 2013 when we found out that building something that works on paper may not work in reality. You need to leave space for contingency.

 

[CapitalSeven]

From the land of even a stopped clock is right twice a day, Randall Denley had a piece yesterday (which I didn't notice till after my last post) wondering why the Trillium line is so hard to get restarted, and calling it a "white elephant-in-waiting." While the fairness of that epithet literally remains to be seen, it's kind of what I said with respect to the south part of the line. I think the math indicates that there will be more daily seats to YOW on line 4 than on planes, and with train time to downtown in excess of flying time to Toronto, most are going to remain fresh and cool.

The 20-minute service idea I suggested was based on running a train between South Keys and Carleton in 10 minutes or so. I think this could be done (with relatively short intermediate stops) because it wouldn't need to meet an oncoming train at the passing track. And I believe the trains can use snappier acceleration than what we are seeing. The twelve-minute ballet they have to perform means there is no point running faster. Remember that from 2000 to 2013 trains ran from Greenboro to Bayview in 12 minutes, and after the "Ottawa improvement" it took about 16 minutes. I could be wrong about all of this though.

 

[lrt's friend]

From the land of even a stopped clock is right twice a day, Randall Denley had a piece yesterday (which I didn't notice till after my last post) wondering why the Trillium line is so hard to get restarted, and calling it a "white elephant-in-waiting." While the fairness of that epithet literally remains to be seen, it's kind of what I said with respect to the south part of the line. I think the math indicates that there will be more daily seats to YOW on line 4 than on planes, and with train time to downtown in excess of flying time to Toronto, most are going to remain fresh and cool.

The 20-minute service idea I suggested was based on running a train between South Keys and Carleton in 10 minutes or so. I think this could be done (with relatively short intermediate stops) because it wouldn't need to meet an oncoming train at the passing track. And I believe the trains can use snappier acceleration than what we are seeing. The twelve-minute ballet they have to perform means there is no point running faster. Remember that from 2000 to 2013 trains ran from Greenboro to Bayview in 12 minutes, and after the "Ottawa improvement" it took about 16 minutes. I could be wrong about all of this though.

Initially when the O-Train opened in 2001, 20 minute service was offered. After welded rail was installed, they were able to improve frequency to 15 minutes and were able to run trains from end to end in 12 minutes.

Will we able to run the trains in 16 minutes with Phase 2? We don't know. It would be interesting to have a couple of people time the train from South Keys to Bayview.

 

[CapitalSeven]

The online schedule they put up recently showed 19 minutes from South Keys to Bayview. Considering there are three additional stops (one more on the end and two more along the way) it's not too bad. It's roughly 16 to 17 from Greenboro, the same as before but with two additional stops, which shows what a waste of resources the 2014 reconfiguration was.